Best Case / Worst Case - 247 Sports

#1
Carlitovol

Carlitovol

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#1
J.C. Shurburtt's take on each SEC team's best case and worst case scenarios..

Around the SEC: Best and worst case scenarios

Tennessee

Best Case: The Vols return to prominence by winning the SEC East and getting in the hunt for the college football playoff. The offensive line is much-better and Alvin Kamara proves to be an X factor in the backfield, making this offense one of the best in the country while the defense remains solid.

Worst Case: Tennessee isn’t quite ready to win a division title, given the youth, and another difficult schedule catches them. The offensive line struggles again and the defense isn’t quite as good as it could be. The Vols get back to a bowl, but do not contend for the division.
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I think it's a pretty fair assessment.. I think defensively he could've mentioned the young LB Situation, as I think that will determine whether we have a pretty good D or an elite D.

Thoughts?
GBO !!
 
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#2
#2
I think our schedule is actually favorable compared to years past. Most everything else I agree, at least to the point where each has been a concern or a positive by people here.
 
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#3
#3
If our linebackers have the mental part of the game down, we will have a elite Defense, they got the talent.
 
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#4
#4
terrypedigo said:
If our linebackers have the mental part of the game down, we will have a elite Defense, they got the talent.
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Agreed - I think the reason it's such an "x factor" is that MLB will be a question mark because of inexperience. Obviously, that guy (whether it's JJ or whoever else) has to be the QB of the defense.. So the mental part is even more critical than at other positions on the defensive side.
 
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#5
#5
I was looking at the teams we play, and not gettng into the details, returning players on these teams is in UT's favor. Bowling Green is returing a lot of the starters from last year, I don't predict an upset, but their not young and dumb, they will give our defense a good test early. OU have good athletes, and I think Stoops replaced a few coaches, this will be a great game, UT+3 (HFA).

Go Vols
 
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#7
#7
That's a huge margin. He says we win 6 or more basically.

It'll be between 7 and 9.
 
#9
#9
I'm not really as concerned about linebacker as some are. I think Bynum did a really good job in the bowl game and we have several other options. My concern is still the OL. Hopefully those guys will improve. We shall see.
 
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#10
#10
Yeah, I think that is a fair read of our best/worst scenarios. What's interesting, is that the writer has 6* teams who under "best case" conditions would win the SEC-West, while only 3* teams in the East would definitely win if their "best case" came true.

In the West, that includes everyone but Miss St. Ironic, given that they have the broad-consensus best returning QB of the conference in Dak Prescott. In the East, the only three he favors are UGa, Mizzou, and the Vols.

That means, in this writer's view, the two halves of the SEC are still pretty badly imbalanced. Even as Tennessee is getting strong again, we need Florida and USCe and Kentucky to grow in strength, too, so that we can rebalance the conference. Vols in the lead, of course. Go Vols!


* The writer's terminology is nuanced, but clear. If he thinks a team can (best case) win their division, he flat out says, "wins the West/East". If he thinks they can come close but not quite actually win the division, he says "in the hunt" or "contends for." Naturally, for some teams he doesn't mention the possibility at all (*cough* Vandy). Kentucky is unique...he carefully says they could (best case) be "in the race most of the season," implying that they can not end the season still "in the race" (he's probably looking at the late Oct/early Nov @Miss St, Vols, @UGa stretch). I interpret this as one step below "in the hunt" but still above Vandy.
 
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#12
#12
I know our LB are our weakness, but then I also remember that we will play only 2 LBs on the field at one time where the WILL will be played by a DB in a 4 - 2 - 5

I think we will be ok, but our defense is going to be sick to watch..
 
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#13
#13
I'm more concerned about receivers than anything else. If the receivers can't stay healthy and can't do their job then the whole thing starts to come apart. These receivers need to stay on the field, they need to go down field, they need to jump up and fight for a football, they need to take the ball, and they need to cross the goal line. That is the job. If they do that we are going to give everyone else a good fight.
 
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#14
#14
VFL-82-JP said:
Yeah, I think that is a fair read of our best/worst scenarios. What's interesting, is that the writer has 6* teams who under "best case" conditions would win the SEC-West, while only 3* teams in the East would definitely win if their "best case" came true.

In the West, that includes everyone but Miss St. Ironic, given that they have the broad-consensus best returning QB of the conference in Dak Prescott. In the East, the only three he favors are UGa, Mizzou, and the Vols.

That means, in this writer's view, the two halves of the SEC are still pretty badly imbalanced. Even as Tennessee is getting strong again, we need Florida and USCe and Kentucky to grow in strength, too, so that we can rebalance the conference. Vols in the lead, of course. Go Vols!


* The writer's terminology is nuanced, but clear. If he thinks a team can (best case) win their division, he flat out says, "wins the West/East". If he thinks they can come close but not quite actually win the division, he says "in the hunt" or "contends for." Naturally, for some teams he doesn't mention the possibility at all (*cough* Vandy). Kentucky is unique...he carefully says they could (best case) be "in the race most of the season," implying that they can not end the season still "in the race" (he's probably looking at the late Oct/early Nov @Miss St, Vols, @UGa stretch). I interpret this as one step below "in the hunt" but still above Vandy.
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I don't much mind having a 3 team strong division of a conference. Hurts a little in rankings but if the winner of the east, wins the seccg (beating the stronger division-champions), I would think that would take care of the rankings.
 
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#15
#15
chargervol said:
I don't much mind having a 3 team strong division of a conference. Hurts a little in rankings but if the winner of the east, wins the seccg (beating the stronger division-champions), I would think that would take care of the rankings.
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Yeah, you have a good point, Charger. And if you win the SEC CG, particularly with only one (or at most two) losses on the year, you're pretty close to a shoe-in to the playoffs.

Still, pride makes me keep wishing for the conference to be rebalanced, or even tilted in favor of the East again like it was when the Tennessee-Florida game often seemed to be the de facto conference CG. :good!:
 
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#16
#16
ItsAllVols said:
I know our LB are our weakness, but then I also remember that we will play only 2 LBs on the field at one time where the WILL will be played by a DB in a 4 - 2 - 5

I think we will be ok, but our defense is going to be sick to watch..
Click to expand...

Will there be occasions where we will go with three?
If so, who are the first teamers?

Sam ? _________________
Mike? __________________
Will? __________________
 
#17
#17
Yes, we go with 4-3 often enough. Just 4-2-5 tends to be a little more common because more and more teams are spreading the field.

As for the three starters, think we'd all agree Reeves-Maybin is one of them. At this point, the other two are anyone's guess. My personal guess (this week, heh) is Bynum and McDowell. But Bates, Elliott Berry, and Kirkland are all in the mix, too.
 
#18
#18
VFL-82-JP said:
Yeah, you have a good point, Charger. And if you win the SEC CG, particularly with only one (or at most two) losses on the year, you're pretty close to a shoe-in to the playoffs.

Still, pride makes me keep wishing for the conference to be rebalanced, or even tilted in favor of the East again like it was when the Tennessee-Florida game often seemed to be the de facto conference CG. :good!:
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yep, that's fair also. Its always nice knowing you are the toughest division around. plus I think I said winners of the East but I was thinking more of us specifically. When we are where I want to be, we will already have beaten Bama also, by the time the championship game rolls around.
 
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#19
#19
Best Case = National Championship

Worst Case = We lose all our games

99.999% chance we wind up between the two. That's my prediction.
 
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#22
#22
ItsAllVols said:
I know our LB are our weakness, but then I also remember that we will play only 2 LBs on the field at one time where the WILL will be played by a DB in a 4 - 2 - 5

I think we will be ok, but our defense is going to be sick to watch..
Click to expand...
I'm not at the point to declare our MLB or linebacking corps overall a weakness. No doubt we will be less experienced there than at other positions on our D. That said, I read somewhere recently where we now have depth and playmakers at our DT positions. No longer will our DTs be tasked with mostly keeping OLs off our LBs allowing them to lead in tackles. Our DTs will be loosed like the hounds of hell on opposing offenses, and our LBs will likely not be as productive, but our DTs will be hugely more productive. Get ready our D is going to be a strength of this team.
 
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#23
#23
Best Case: We're going to be a lot better than we've been recently.
Worst Case: We're still going to be improved from the last few years.
 
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#24
#24
Carlitovol said:
J.C. Shurburtt's take on each SEC team's best case and worst case scenarios..

Around the SEC: Best and worst case scenarios



I think it's a pretty fair assessment.. I think defensively he could've mentioned the young LB Situation, as I think that will determine whether we have a pretty good D or an elite D.

Thoughts?
GBO !!
Click to expand...
i tihnk he got the offense and defense backwards in his best case.

I tihnk best case our defense is one of the top in the nation (top 5) worst case it is solid.
our offense i think best case its top 20 and worst case its solid.
 
#25
#25
Remy said:
I'm not at the point to declare our MLB or linebacking corps overall a weakness. No doubt we will be less experienced there than at other positions on our D. That said, I read somewhere recently where we now have depth and playmakers at our DT positions. No longer will our DTs be tasked with mostly keeping OLs off our LBs allowing them to lead in tackles. Our DTs will be loosed like the hounds of hell on opposing offenses, and our LBs will likely not be as productive, but our DTs will be hugely more productive. Get ready our D is going to be a strength of this team.
Click to expand...
Whether or not DT's are eating blocks or penetrating has nothing to do with depth. it is about defensive scheme.

Especially in a 3-4 the DT/NT is responsible for eatingblocks mostly. in most 4-3 defenses your second Dt is more of a penetrator but there are schemes that diverge from this in both base defenses.
 
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